Creation’s End is the vision of New York City’s Rudolph Albert (guitar – ex-Zandelle) and Dario Rodriguez (drums).

Rudy met John Macaluso (drummer of James LaBrie Band, Fool’s Game, ex-Ark, ex-TNT, ex-Yngwie Malsteen) and hired him as producer for their first studio album. They were joined by Mike Dimeo, (ex-Masterplan, ex-Riot), Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie Band), and Joe Black (Chris Caffery, ex-Zandelle).

In Summer of 2010 the band decided to have world known engineer Neil Kernon (Queensryche, Yes, Nile, Cannibal Corpse etc) mix the album, that was released in 2010: melodic, touches of prog, a strong sense of groove, and brutally heavy and dark. A US tour, including a date at ProgPower USA, took place in August and September of 2011.

In May 2012 the band announced they had started work on the next album.

Progressive power metal from California. Futures End was formed by guitarists Christian Wentz and Marc Pattison in 2007. They were looking to draw upon their influences and create something challenging and exciting. Fred Marshall (Zero Hour) was the obvious choice as a singer, Steve DiGiorgio and drummer Jon Allen (Testament, Sadus) came on board to complete the line-up.

Released one album so far in 2009 ‘Memoirs of a Broken Man’ (Nightmare Records) with guest vocals by Lance King (Pyramaze, Balance of Power) and Lucho Silva (Magistral).

Futures End played their very first live show opening the Prog Power USA festival at it’s 10th anniversary in Atlanta Georgia. Also supported Symphony X in Houston.

Pyramaze could be called a really international band, formed in 2001 its members then lodged in Denmark, Sweden and the US. Their music is very heavy yet melodic power to progressive. Material for the first album was written by the guitarist Michael Kammeyer in Denmark, later the other members joined in and a trans atlantic cooperation involved keyboardist Jonah Weingarten and singer Lance King ( Balance Of Power, Mattson, King’s Machine, Gemini). Lance was later replaced by Matthew Barlow (Iced Earth), who recorded an album with the band before rejoining Iced Earth again.

2006 they played prog power usa festival

November 11 saw Michael Kammeyer leaving the band, he was replaced by long time friend and producer Jacob Hansen.

I think Pyramaze are working on the recordings for the next album right now.

They released three albums, Melancholy Beast (2004), Legend Of The Bone Carver (2006) and

Immortal (2008)

01. Arise
02. Year of the Phoenix
03. Ghost Light
04. Touched by the Mara
05. A Beautiful Death
06. Legacy in a Rhyme
07. Caramon’s Poem
08. The Highland
09. Shadow of the Beast
10. March through an Endless Rain

Illusion Suite have been round for about ten years, hail from Oslo, Norway

first EP came out in 2005 and they released an album in 2009 titled Final Hour

Though Illusion Suite are not very well known, their music is totally epic, very powerful and with a lot more progressive elements than, say the latest Symphony X. And though I’m not a fan of female vocals in metal, they have a lady vocalist here for some parts that work really well. I am looking forward to their next album that according to their homepage should be finished soon.

yes, when I first listened to a Symphony X album it was a revelation and infected me with the powerprog virus. I guess I have always been into prog and neoclassic, Jethro Tull, early Genesis, ELP, these were my teenage favs. From there I have moved on to the metal stuff when I first laid my hands on a Symphony X album. It was more than a revelation, it was instant passion, as though I had at last found something that I didn’t know I was looking for…

I guess most readers of this blog are familiar with Symphony X anyway, so why go on ranting about them. Check out their latest release, Iconoclast. As most people will tell you Sxmphony X have rather gone from prog to power, but there is none of that fanca epic or symphonic stuff that is sometimes associated with power metal, this is just pure hard & heavy power. Insofar it follows in the footsteps of the 2009 release Paradise Lost that was also rather heavy and no-frills prog.
The songs are very accessible and – for prog – simple in structure. I loved the album from the beginning, though I also love their earlier releases.